


Y2K Okay

by imamaryanne



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Mike Wheeler, Friends With Benefits, Gay Will Byers, M/M, New Years, Party Like It's 1999, The whole gang is here, Y2K, partial Epistolary, references to homophobic language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 17:28:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20450852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imamaryanne/pseuds/imamaryanne
Summary: On New Years Eve 1999, Mike Wheeler hosts all of his old friends for a New Years party at his house in Hawkins. Despite hating Hawkins with everything in him, Will Byers goes to catch up with his old friends. Soon he learns some things about Mike, and the two share a one-night connection that brings them into the new millennium.





	Y2K Okay

**1991**

_ December 23, 1991 _

> _ Dear Mike, _
> 
> _ I’m sending this letter to your house in Hawkins, assuming you’ll be home for winter break when it gets there. Hope you had a good semester at Ball State. _
> 
> _ I wanted to let you know that I decided to leave Berkley after this semester. My mom went apeshit because I forever forfeited my scholarship. But I got a chance to show some of my art in a gallery in San Francisco, and it went really well. I sold several paintings, and made enough for me to rent a small apartment in the Castro neighborhood. (I’ll include my new address at the bottom of this letter.) I got a write-up in the City Paper, I included a clipping for you to read. I think you’ll roll your eyes when they talk about how the small town monsters in my paintings are mostly symbolic. _
> 
> _ Anyway, the real reason I’m writing isn’t about school or my art. I was wondering if you remembered that summer that Starcourt opened. In those days before the mindflayer re-emerged and you were on and off with El, and Lucas was on and off with Max? You said something to me when all I wanted to do was play D&D, and you and Lucas wanted to make up with the girls. You said “I’m sorry you’re not into girls.” We were only 14, so maybe what you meant to say was, “I’m sorry you’re not into girls YET.” _
> 
> _ But you didn’t say that, and I’m sitting here wondering if you knew something about me back then that I hadn’t even known about myself. _
> 
> _ I figured it out a couple of years after we left Hawkins, by the way. It didn’t take long in high school for me to realize the football quarterback was much more interesting than the head cheerleader. _
> 
> _ So I’m gay, and so far I’ve only told my mom and now you. Well, there’ve been other guys who know because I haven’t exactly been celibate. But as far as my close friends and family, it’s just you and mom. Mom didn’t seem particularly surprised, so I guess I suck at hiding it? _
> 
> _ I’d prefer if you keep this to yourself for the moment. Not that I think Dustin and Lucas or anyone else that we were close to in Hawkins would judge me. But I’m trying to do this slowly. I’m trying to figure out what people’s reactions would be, and decide who to tell based on that. You’ve always been my best friend, even after I left Hawkins. You’re the one I stayed in closest contact with, and that’s the reason I chose you. _
> 
> _ Anyway. I don’t know what I’m expecting from you, but it was just something I wanted to get off my chest. I hope you have a good Christmas, and tell your parents and Nancy I say hi. _
> 
> _ -Will _
> 
>   
  


_ December 28, 1991 _

> _ Will, _
> 
> _ Thanks for your letter. _
> 
> _ I was sitting here wondering how to say to you, ‘You’re like a brother to me and I’ll love you like a brother no matter what, and I don’t care that you’re gay and I support you,’ without sounding too sappy and sentimental. But I couldn’t think of a good way to say it, so here it is. You’re like a brother to me, and I’ll always love you like a brother no matter what. I don’t care that you’re gay. I support you. You can always talk to me and tell me anything. _
> 
> _ As for what I said those years ago when we were fourteen? I honestly don’t remember if I meant to say that you don’t like girls YET. As you know, a lot of shit happened in the days after that and the little argument we had about D&D vs. chasing girls kind of faded into the background. I can’t say for sure if I thought you might be gay back then. But, man, what a shithead I was to have said that to you in the first place. So...sorry about that six and a half years later. _
> 
> _ I read that news clipping from the SF City Paper, and yes I rolled my eyes. “Byers has a knack for painting the seedy underbellies of small towns. One can just imagine the spider-like monster creeping up on a bucolic scene could symbolize any number of abuses happening behind the closed doors in middle-America.” The only thing is, in Hawkins the spider-like monster was more than symbolic, wasn’t it? _
> 
> _ Things are good for me at Ball State. I’ve changed my major. I hated my economics classes with a passion. Last summer I saw Mr. Clarke at the grocery store and he encouraged me to drop it. I’m following his footsteps and am majoring in education. I’ll probably wind up teaching science, but I don’t know if I could handle middle school like Mr. Clarke, I might stick to high school. _
> 
> _ I know you haven’t returned to Hawkins since the day you and your mom left with Jonathan and El. But I haven’t seen you since I came to your high school graduation. And again, not to sound too emotional and dramatic, but I miss you. If you’re ever in the Midwest, please let me know and I’ll drive any amount of time to see you. And if you’re up for visitors, maybe I’ll ask for plane tickets to San Francisco for my birthday so I can see you. _
> 
> _ Have a good new year, and best of luck in 1992. _
> 
> _ Your brother, _
> 
> _ Mike _

_ ______________________ _

**1999 **

**Date: November 22, 1999**

**To: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**From: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**Subject: Y2K party**

> _ Will, _
> 
> _ I know you’re not a big fan of Hawkins, and I can’t say I blame you. Dustin wants to host a big Y2K party on New Years and invite the whole demogorgon gang along. It’s going to be at my house. It’s the biggest, and since I still live there alone ever since Lizzie left, I’ll love having the company. _
> 
> _ You don’t have to come, not if you don’t want to. Both Jonathan and El are going to be there, if it helps to have your siblings there. El is even going to try to locate Max, but no one has heard from her in years. I know what Hawkins is to you. I know it’s been since my wedding that you’ve been here. (Ha. Thanks for putting me up in your apartment to nurse my wounds over my divorce) No one is forcing you to come. _
> 
> _ But if you want to, and we all want you to, I have plenty of space. _
> 
> _ Let me know, _
> 
> _ Mike _  


Will read the email thoughtfully. Mike had always understood his distaste for Hawkins better than any of them. He had no idea how most of them could still live there and not be in a full-time PTSD nightmare. 

He had gone back twice. Once for Steve Harrington’s wedding, for which he stayed in a hotel near the Indianapolis airport rather than in Hawkins. The second time was for Mike’s wedding, less than a year later. 

Mike had met Lizze in college, and they’d gotten married in 1994, shortly after graduating. Will was Mike’s best man and had to spend a few nights in Hawkins for the event. He hated it, but there was very little he wouldn’t do for Mike. Mike and Lizzie bought a four bedroom split-level house which Will had expected would shortly be filled with little Wheeler children. Except a mere two and a half years after marrying, Lizzie had abruptly left Mike. It was right at the end of the school year, and Mike had spent most of that summer staying in Will’s apartment in San Francisco, moody as hell and refusing to say what, exactly, had happened to his marriage. 

As much as he hated Hawkins, there wasn’t a single person in Hawkins that Will hated. Of course Mike was his best friend. But he still loved the rest, Dustin, Lucas, Steve, Robin, Max, and even Nancy who used to drive him crazy as a kid, but had turned into a genuinely good person, not to mention his sister-in-law. Since moving away, he’d only ever seen them all at once at Mike’s wedding. 

Will didn’t have any plans for New Years. In fact, he’d recently been broken up with by a guy named Guy, who was going to be at a party Will’d been invited to. Will wasn’t anxious to see Guy, knowing he’d probably get drunk and either sleep with him or cry over him, and that was a whole can of worms he didn’t need to open. 

But was Hawkins his only option?

He hadn’t seen Mike since the summer of the divorce, which was two and a half years now. The fall after that, they’d both gotten new computers, and were able to ‘talk’ a lot more to each other through the magic of email. They emailed a lot more than they’d ever written letters, and he was even closer to Dustin and Lucas now than he had been a couple years ago because they had email addresses as well. Dustin, of course, had an email address long before anyone else Will knew had one. But he still missed them--missed seeing their faces. 

Will stared at the computer screen. He had some money saved for a plane ticket. Actually, he’d probably wind up spending nearly the same amount of money on booze if he stayed in San Francisco. 

It was so tempting. 

**Date: November 22, 1999**

**To: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**From: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**Subject: Re: Y2K Party**

> _ Mike, _
> 
> _ I’m in. I’ll let you know when I buy my plane tickets. _
> 
> _ Will _

________________________

Mike, Dustin and Lucas all met him at the gate. They were wearing their old D&D costumes, robes now several inches too short and hats in various states of disrepair. As Will exited the long hall connecting the plane to the airport, the three of them immediately ran to him and encircled him. “Welcome home, Dungeon Master!” 

Will was touched. “You guys are such nerds!” 

“Can you believe it still fits?” Dustin asked, twirling around in his robe. It didn’t fit at all. It rode up almost to his knees and stretched almost to bursting across Dustin’s paunchy almost-30 year old belly. They were attracting attention from other flyers, but Dustin didn’t care. 

“Oh yeah, it fits like a glove,” Will deadpanned. 

“Come on, let’s go get your bags,” Mike said, grabbing his elbow and dragging him along. Mike was now sporting a goatee and wire-frame glasses. 

“I’ve got everything in my carry-on,” Will said, indicating the small black suitcase he was rolling by the handle. 

“Nice, then let’s get out of here.”

Will followed the other three, who were talking excitedly about the upcoming party, and about Y2K and what it would mean for their computers. Will didn’t know anything about Y2K, just that when he went to buy his own PC a year ago, the salesman at Best Buy assured him it was Y2K compatible. 

Dustin, an actual computer engineer, was the most interested. “Of course it’ll be fine,” he was saying. “So much money has gone into making sure the world doesn’t end just because computers were originally built with the shitty code. Nothing will happen and everyone will make fun of computer scientists for being worried in the first place, not realizing nothing happened because we’ve been working our fucking asses off on it for the last year.” 

He had very strong feelings about it. 

As they settled into the car, Mike driving and Will riding shotgun, while Lucas and Dustin took the back, Lucas leaned forward and said, “You know I’m bringing my girlfriend, Lisa. You could have brought Guy.” 

Will turned to look at Lucas. “Guy dumped me.” 

“Oh shit,” Lucas said. “I’m sorry I didn’t know.” 

“When was this?” Dustin asked. “Last time we emailed you didn’t say anything.” 

“November 20th,” Will said. “Two days before Mike asked me to come to Hawkins for this party.” 

“Would you have come if he hadn’t dumped you?” Lucas pressed. 

Will looked out the window and shrugged. He probably wouldn’t have. There was that party that they’d already agreed to go to. “Maybe,” he answered, not wanting to hurt their feelings and say no. 

“What happened?” Dustin asked. 

Will sighed and let the question hang in the air for a moment, “You know. I don’t really feel like talking about it.” He didn’t want to admit that Guy was freaked out over Will’s nightmares and Will’s anxiety attacks. Will got drunker than he’d meant to one night and told Guy a little bit about the lab and the Upside Down and the demogorgon, but Guy thought he was out of his mind. A few days later, Guy printed out information online about MKUltra and asked Will if he’d been a part of that. Sober, Will never wanted to talk about it, and he’d just shrugged and said, “Not that exactly, but similar I guess.” Their relationship started going downhill after that. Will knew it was happening. He knew Guy realized Will’s fucked up childhood hadn’t been fucked up in a normal way. There was no drunk stepdad, no mom who knocked him around, no neighbor who touched him inappropriately. There was something deeper, something so fucked up it made Will’s paintings of fucked up towns look like Mayberry. 

The worst part was that Guy was the first man he’d ever been with that he’d felt comfortable enough to even hint about what had happened to him. There were guys he’d liked, sure. But even if he was drunk, he’d always kept this part of him secret. Then Guy came along, and he was amazing. Handsomer than anyone Will had ever met before, and so funny and outgoing. And he really seemed to love Will, and Will finally understood how great monogamy could be. He loved Guy, and if Guy called him up and wanted him back, Will would go back in a heartbeat. 

“Let’s not talk about it then,” Mike said firmly. Mike should know, he’d never once admitted to anyone why Lizzie left him. Will didn’t push it. He figured Mike didn’t tell them because he was ashamed of something. Probably he’d cheated on Lizzie, which sucked and was stupid, but getting married at only 22 had been a pretty stupid thing to do too. 

“Where are we going?” Will asked as Mike skipped the exit for the highway that would lead to Hawkins. 

“Dropping Lucas off,” Mike answered. Lucas lived in Indianapolis now. It was the city that a lot of Hawkins kids wound up moving to when they couldn’t find decent work in a small far-flung town. 

“You can meet Lisa,” Lucas said. 

“The _ child. _” Dustin teased. 

“How old is she?” Will asked. 

“She’s not a child, she’s twenty-four.” 

“She’s a year younger than Erica.” 

“Oh my God,” Will laughed. “Twenty-nine and Twenty-four is not bad. Guy is thirty-eight.” 

“Holy shit, you dated a guy who was almost _ forty?” _Dustin screeched. 

“Yeah,” Will shrugged. “He’s not even the oldest guy I ever slept with.” 

“Jesus Christ,” Lucas said. “I would ask how old, but I don’t think I want to know.” 

There was a slight pause, everyone waiting to see if Will would say, and he let it go on just long enough for them to think he wasn’t going to tell them. “Forty-five,” he admitted. “When I was twenty-three.”

There was a lot of screeching and teasing, while Will sat there silently smiling. Dustin was his strongest defender, with Mike being somewhat neutral, and Lucas shaking his head, “Nope, nope, nope. He was twice your age and that’s just weird.” 

It was weird, he knew. And it wasn’t something he was in the habit of doing, going so far out of his own generation. But Will had been in a weird place at twenty-three, still a darling of the San Francisco underground art scene, and he wasn’t ashamed to admit he took full advantage of that. 

Mike pulled into an apartment complex on the outskirts of the city. It looked pretty new, a block of four-story apartments with white siding. From the parking lot, Will could spot a fence hiding a swimming pool, now closed for the season. 

“Come meet Lisa,” Lucas said. “She might not be able to make it to the party depending on her shift.” 

“What’s she do?” Will asked, as they piled out of the car and followed Lucas up the stairs to a second story apartment. 

“She’s a paramedic. She’s supposed to work the day shift on the 31st, but you know it’s the busiest day of the year so she might end up having to work a double,” Lucas said, opening the door to apartment 205. 

Will would never tell Lucas this, but Lisa reminded him of Erica, Lucas’ little sister. They looked like they could be sisters and shared the same outgoing confidence. But Lisa had a friendlier look about her than Erica probably ever did. He also couldn’t imagine Erica, who only cared about becoming a CEO, would ever work as a paramedic. 

Lisa was wearing her work uniform, and was about to walk out the door. She shook Will’s hand and said how nice it was to meet him. “Lucas has told me so much about you!”

“All good, I hope,” Will said.

She laughed, “Yeah, of course. What’s San Francisco like?” 

“Lisa wants out of Indianapolis,” Lucas explained. 

She shrugged, “I grew up two miles away. It doesn’t have to be San Francisco, but I want to go _ somewhere. _Preferably somewhere exciting and fun, like I bet San Francisco is.” 

“Every city needs paramedics,” Will said. 

Lisa gave Lucas a look, which made Lucas give Will the stink-eye. 

Lisa laughed again. “Not to run out, but I have to be at work soon. Nice to meet you, Will.” She patted Dustin and Mike on their cheeks and said, “Behave at that party if I don’t see you.” She kissed Lucas and walked out the door. 

“She’s nice,” Will said. 

“Don’t encourage her about moving,” Lucas said. 

“Why don’t you want to move?” Will asked. 

“What’s wrong with here?” Lucas asked, holding his arms wide. 

“Nothing,” Dustin said, interrupting them. “But it’s not like you have to live here. If she wants to go someplace more exciting you can be in Chicago, which is close.” 

“Then you can see El more often,” Will pointed out. After leaving Hawkins, Joyce had taken him, Jonathan and El to the suburbs of Chicago. Joyce managed yet another shop while putting herself through real estate classes and eventually became a realtor. El had spent a few semesters after high school in Community College before following in Joyce’s footsteps and they worked as a mother-daughter realtor team in Joliet, Illinois. 

That El was closer to their mother than either Will or Jonathan was weird sometimes, but Will didn’t begrudge it at all. After all, he was the one who’d left for California, and El was the one who’d desperately needing mothering. She never quite outgrew that need and Will could understand that. El still even lived with their mother. 

Lucas shrugged, “Maybe. I’m not trying to be unreasonable, but she has these fantasies about New York or London, always thinking someplace has to be better than here. If she decides she wants a city, and takes time to apply for jobs, I’ll go.” 

They hung out for awhile, before getting back into the car to head to Hawkins. 

“Drop me off at my mom’s house,” Dustin instructed. 

“Why?” Mike asked. 

“I told her I’d do a few things for her,” Dustin answered. “I’ll be back home in a few hours.”

Will felt like he was missing something, but he didn’t ask. When they dropped Dustin off at his mom’s house, waving to his mom at the front door, Will turned to Mike, “Why’d he call your house home?” 

“He’s been staying with me a few weeks.” 

“What? I thought he lived in Columbus?” 

“Oh Jesus,” Mike said. “I forgot you didn’t know. Remember that software he was working on? He sold it to a developer for, like, major cash. Left his job in Columbus and now can’t decide what to do, and he came back to Hawkins while he tries to figure it out. He didn’t want to be pathetic and live with his mom, so’s he being pathetic and living with his friend who has a four bedroom house.” 

“You,” Will said. 

“Me,” Mike confirmed. 

“Do you know how much money he made from the sale? Is that rude to ask?” Will asked. 

“He didn’t tell us, but there was an article on Wired. Will….it’s a lot.” 

“Like, Lottery a lot? Or like, he can not work for a year or two and maybe take a trip to Mexico?” 

“Lottery a lot. Five million.” 

Will stared out the windshield in stunned silence. He was paying no attention to the houses passing by, not looking out at his old stomping grounds. He wasn’t seeing anything besides a filthy rich Dustin Henderson. With nothing else to say, he simply murmured, “Holy. Shit. Dustin’s _ rich. _” 

“Yeah,” Mike said. “He’s been paying me way too much in rent since he’s been living with me, and it makes me feel guilty on one hand. But on the other hand, I’m a public school teacher and my mortgage is eating me alive.” 

“Yeah,” Will said. “I don’t blame you for taking his rent.” 

“He really insisted,” Mike said, as he pulled up into his driveway. 

It was the first time Will had seen Mike’s house. He and Lizzie bought it a few months after they’d gotten married. It was a neat and tidy looking split level house, with brick and white siding and black shutters. When you walked into the front door, there was his kitchen, with blue walls and white countertops to the right, and a dining room beyond that. To the left were two half staircases, one that led up to three bedrooms and a bathroom, and one that led down to a family room, and Mike’s master bedroom, which had its own bathroom attached. 

“I’ve got you staying in a room up here,” Mike said, leading Will up the stairs and opening the first door on the right. It was a small-ish room with a full-size bed and a tiny three-drawer dresser. The bed and dresser were made of matching wood, and they looked like something out of the 1980’s. Will wondered if it was furniture either Mike or Lizzie had gotten from one of their parents. 

“Mind if I wash up and nap?” Will asked. 

“Sure,” Mike said, pointing toward the bathroom. 

Will always needed a nap after flying. It didn’t matter how short the flight was. He washed his face and lay down on the bed and immediately fell asleep. 

He awoke feeling much better, and went looking for Mike who was busy cutting up veggies for a salad. “Let me help,” Will said.

Mike handed him a knife and a tomato, and they got to work, silently at first. Finally Mike spoke up, “You want to talk about what happened with you and Guy?” 

Will shrugged. 

“When we talked and emailed, you really seemed to love him.” 

“I did,” Will said, then correcting himself, “I do.” He finished dicing the tomato and dumped the pieces into the large salad bowl where Mike had already added chopped lettuce. “I told him about everything.” 

He was vague, but it was okay, because this was Mike, and Mike just always seemed to know what Will was trying to say. “Wow,” Mike said. “Is he the first one you’ve told?”

“Yeah,” Will said. “And it’s not making me want to ever tell anyone again.” 

“Do you think it’s truly over? Or do you think he’s taking time to think things over?"

“I don’t know,” Will said and suddenly his throat felt constricted, like he was going to cry. “Oh fuck,” he croaked. 

“It’s OK,” Mike said. He wiped his hands on a towel and patted Will on the back. “You can cry about it. God knows you saw me at my worst after Lizzie left.”

And Will let it out. He let the tears and the sadness from the last six weeks come tumbling out of him. He told Mike how much he loved Guy, how sorry he was that he’d said anything, but on the other hand, how sorry he was for himself that he should have to hide his childhood from someone he loved. 

It took some time, but finally Will calmed down. 

Mike handed him a box of tissues, and Will wiped his eyes. “Sorry,” he apologized. 

“No,” Mike said. “Don’t be.” He went quiet for a few moments, watching Will gather himself. “Do you want to know what happened between me and Lizzie?” 

Will looked up, surprised. He’d never expected this. He thought for sure Mike was going to take the secret of his divorce to the grave. “Sure. If you want to talk about it.” 

“I might not come off looking great,” Mike said, gesturing Will to follow him. 

Mike led Will down the stairs toward his bedroom. “Listen, cheating doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, just a person who did a bad thing.” 

“I didn’t cheat,” Mike said, sounding insulted. 

“So what was it then?” Will asked, following Mike into the bedroom. He couldn’t fathom the reason Mike was so scared to let people know why Lizzie left. 

“You have to keep this a secret,” Mike pleaded. “You’re the only one I’m telling.”

“Of course,” Will said. Christ, how bad was it? Was he going to have to pretend to sympathize with Mike if he fucking _ hit _her? But no, that couldn’t be it. Mike was gentle, he’d never hit anyone.

Mike took a deep breath, “She found my porn collection.” 

“Oh,” Will said. That was...unexpected. “Girls don’t like porn, right?” Will had only ever been in relationships with other guys, and he knew they _ all _looked at porn, and they knew he looked at porn. This was a straight girl thing, he assumed. 

“It’s what was in the porn collection.” Mike opened the closet door and shuffled through a box on the floor. 

Oh God, Oh Christ, it couldn’t be the worst thing Will was imagining, could it? This was _ Mike. _He was a quintessential good guy. He was a high school science teacher for God’s sake. Will made a silent plea to all the gods he didn't believe in to not make it kids, because he would definitely not keep that a secret. 

Mike pulled out three magazines, and threw them on the bed in front of Will. Will looked up at Mike, “Three magazines? That’s it? Your whole collection?” 

Mike gave him an exasperated look, “Just look at them.”

Will picked the three magazines up. The first one was a Playboy, which wasn’t exactly Will’s cup of tea. The old joke may have been about reading Playboy for the articles, but it was true in Will’s case. They had a fair amount of decent interviews. The second magazine was a different issue of Playboy. 

The third was...oh. Will looked up at Mike, shock on his face. He had to look at the magazine in his hand again to make sure he’d seen it right. Yes, that was _ Mandate. _It was an issue from a few years ago, and one that Will had actually seen before.

“OK,” Will said, he casually flipped through the magazine. Definitely porn geared toward the gay man. What was Mike trying to tell him?

“That’s why Lizzie left.” 

“Are you gay?” 

Mike shook his head. “I was just….” he paused and finished lamely, “Looking.” 

“Were you curious?” 

“Yes,” Mike said, sounding relieved. “I was just curious and she didn’t really get that.” 

“Huh,” Will said. He didn’t want to push, but he had a question he wanted answered. “So you were curious, and you bought this,” he held the magazine up, “and you looked at it. What happened to your curiosity?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Was your curiosity satisfied? These are old magazines. You had them when Lizzie was still here. Have you bought any porn since?” 

Mike cringed and nodded. 

“Can I see it?” 

Mike looked liked he was going to be sick, but he turned back to the closet and grabbed a few things out of the same box. A couple of more magazines and four VHS tapes. Will picked up the tapes. Two featured women, but the other covers of the other two both showed men in the throes of passion. 

“Are you bi?” Will asked, gently. 

Mike shrugged, silent. 

“Tell me more about what happened with Lizzie.” Will pushed. 

“She saw that magazine. She didn’t really care about the Playboys. She didn’t like it, but she wasn’t gonna leave me other that. But she couldn’t handle the gay one. And accused me of not really loving her, and she called me a fa-” he broke off. He didn’t want to say the word.

“Did she say anything about me?” Will asked. He knew this story wasn’t about him, it was about Mike, but he had this feeling. Lizzie had been cold and unfriendly to him the one time they met, which was at the wedding. At the time, Will had chalked her attitude up to wedding jitters and the fact that she just didn’t know him that well. 

“Yes,” Mike said. 

“Did she call me a faggot?” he asked.

Mike cringed, “I hate that word. But...yeah. And I defended you, and she used that and the magazine against me. She was really angry. I don’t really want to go into details. But she left and I went to stay with you in San Francisco and I had every intention of talking to you about it, but I was just so fucking depressed. And you remember when she called me and I asked you to step out?”

“Yeah?” 

“Well, me being there with you just confirmed her worst fears.” 

“She thought we were fucking?” 

Mike nodded. “Once she saw this magazine, she couldn’t stop thinking that I had a gay best friend, and I must be sleeping with him. She latched onto the idea, and even though I told her she was wrong, she kept asking me _ why _did I have this magazine. And I didn’t really have a good reason.” 

“So why_ did _you get the magazine?” 

“I told you, curiosity.” 

“Why’d you keep it?”

“What?” 

Will shrugged, trying to show it wasn’t really that big a deal. “Why’d you keep it? Did you keep looking at it?” 

“Well, yeah.” 

“Did you look at it as much as Playboy? Did you watch these two movies as much as these two?” He asked, pointing first to the gay flicks, then the straight ones. 

“I guess the same amount?” 

“OK. Are you bisexual?” he asked again. 

“Oh God,” Mike said, running his fingers through his hair frantically. “Shit, Will. I think I must be.” He drug his hands down his face and rested them, fingertips against his lips. His eyes were shocked and wild. 

Will relaxed. He didn’t even realize how tense he’d been. The way Mike was so secretive about his divorce had really made Will’s imagination run wild. This was nothing though.

“It’s not a big deal,” Will said. “I know other bi guys. Remember my friend Aaron? The one who lived down the hall from me that summer after Lizzie left? He always brought us food from the Greek restaurant where he worked? He’s bi.” 

“I don’t know what to _ do _with this.” 

Will shrugged, “Whatever you want. Mike, I’m telling you, this is not a big deal.” 

“I don’t know if I want to be in a relationship with a guy,” Mike said. “I don’t know any gay people in Hawkins.” 

“You don’t have to be in a relationship with anyone you don’t want to,” Will said. “Keep dating women. That’s the beauty of being bi, right? You can date either?” 

“I can only date people who _ want _to date a bi person.” 

Will quieted. Mike had a point. Aaron had told him that he got turned down for dates all the time, from both gay men and straight women, who didn’t want to date a bi guy. “I’m sure there are people who would.” 

Mike gave Will an exasperated look. “Lizzie’s reaction sure seems to suggest otherwise.” 

“Well she thought you were gay. And she thought you were cheating. Maybe if you’d just said, ‘Hey, I’m bi, but I love you and would never cheat on you,’ she’d have stayed.” Will knew as he was saying it that it likely wasn’t true.

Mike shook his head vehemently. “You know what? No she wouldn’t have. Anyone who can use the word she called you so easily would not have stayed.” 

Will knew Mike was right. In general, people who called other people faggots weren’t the most accepting of non-straight sexual orientations. “Screw Lizzie,” he said to Mike. “She’s a bitch. You can’t go around thinking that way. Mike, be single if you want, but if you want to date someone, go find someone who likes YOU. Someone who likes all of you.”

“What if there’s no one?” 

“That’s shit. There’s someone.”

“Maybe you’ve been in San Francisco too long,” Mike pointed out. “You don’t know what it’s like here in Hawkins.” 

“There are gay and bi people in the Midwest,” Will pointed out. 

“Every single person you introduced me to that summer I was in San Francisco either moved there from the Midwest or the South. There are no gay people left in the Midwest. The west coast has stolen them all.” 

Will had to laugh. It was true. He didn’t think that he met another gay person in San Francisco who grew up in California at all. Bisexual Aaron had grown up on a farm in Iowa, and the guy he eventually started dating was a Pastor’s son from Tennessee. Guy was from Jacksonville, Florida. “If you want some experience with a guy-” 

Mike interrupted, “Not me and you. That’d be too weird.”

“Right,” Will agreed. Even though it wouldn’t be weird for him, he wasn’t about to make a move on Mike. “I was going to say, if you want I’m sure I can find a gay club in Indianapolis and we could check it out.” 

Mike balked. “Jesus Christ, Will. It’s been like three minutes since I had this revelation about myself. Give me some time before you start pushing me into gay club blowjobs.” 

Will chuckled. “Fine by me. Clubs aren’t really my scene anyway. But if you want, at some point, to meet a guy. Yeah, you might need to get out of Hawkins. But Indy’s only an hour away. Go to, like, an art gallery. You’ll meet gay guys and straight girls who are perfectly fine with gay guys so probably with bi guys also.”

“OK,” Mike said, like he was taking notes in his mind. “Art galleries in the city.” 

“Talk to Robin,” Will said. 

“She’s a lesbian.”

“Which is female for gay,” Will deadpanned. “You don’t have to. It’d mean coming out to another person, but she probably has a gay group, and she’s still in Hawkins. So.” 

Mike scratched the back of his neck, “Talk to Robin,” he murmured to himself. “Yeah OK. Listen, this conversation doesn’t go outside this room, right?”

“Oh God, of course not.” 

“I just have...like… a lot to think about.” 

“Of course. I’ll keep it a secret as long as you need me to. To the grave if that’s what you want.” 

The front door opened, and Dustin called out “Hey! Where are you guys?”

“Thanks,” Mike mumbled as he grabbed the porn off the bed and dumped it into the box in the closet. 

Will nodded and called out to Dustin, “Hey!” he walked out of the room and met Dustin, stomping snow off his shoes in the entryway. 

“We’d better go get stuff for this party tomorrow. The way the snow’s coming there won’t be anything left on the shelves.” 

“Oh, sure,” Will said, grabbing his coat. “Mike, you coming?”

“Yeah,” Mike said, sounding distracted. Will thought he heard a quaver in his voice, but he could have been reading too much into it.

The stores were packed, and Will hoped he wouldn’t see anyone he knew. This trip to Hawkins was about seeing the people he knows and loves already and no one else. They got as much food as the thought everyone would eat and more. “What if we’re snowed in?” Dustin asked, adding several boxes of Tastykake Donuts to the cart. 

Dustin insisted on paying for both the food and the copious amount of alcohol. When Will and Mike tried to pitch in he waved them off. “Mike, you’re letting me live with you until I can figure out where I want to go. And Will, stop. You’re a starving artist.” 

“I do OK,” Will said, holding out a handful of twenty dollar bills. 

Dustin pushed Will’s hand away. “I sold my software for a nice amount OK? Lemme do this.” 

“Sure,” Will said, shoving the money back into his pockets. All the art Will had ever sold all combined was still a teeny tiny fraction to what Dustin made in the one day he sold his software to a tech giant. Will didn’t even feel guilty about Dustin buying food and drinks for the entire party. 

Mike had been quiet the entire shopping trip, distracted when either Will or Dustin would suggest foods. Will kept glancing at him, hoping he wasn’t internally freaking out. Dustin didn’t seem to notice, chatting about what they should get and what they shouldn’t. 

But when they got back in the car, Dustin turned to Mike, “Spill it. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Mike said. 

“You’ve barely said two words this whole trip. Your face looks like your pet dog just died. So spill it,” Dustin said. “Something’s wrong and I want to know what.” 

Mike looked at Dustin, wide-eyed and shrugged, “Sometimes I miss Lizzie.”

“Oh my God,” Dustin said. “Lizzie was a bitch, and we need to get you laid. Maybe Lisa can bring a friend to the party.” 

“I don’t need to get laid,” Mike insisted. 

Dustin snorted, “You haven’t gotten any since Lizzie left, have you?” 

Mike sat back in the seat and crossed his arms over his chest, defiant. “Shut up.”

Dustin smiled and looked victorious. He buckled his seatbelt and pulled out of the snowy parking lot. “We’ll get you laid yet.” 

_______

People started drifting in to Mike’s house in the late afternoon the next day. Robin and her girlfriend were the first to arrive. Will didn’t know Robin that well, but she was really close to Dustin. Robin’s girlfriend, Simone, was an artist and the art teacher at Hawkins High, so a colleague of Mike’s. She had blue hair and a nose ring. She didn’t look like any Hawkins public school teacher Will ever remembered. It was nice to have another person who at least understood art there though, and Will and Simone got along great. 

Lucas arrived from Indianapolis without Lisa. “She may come later, depending on how her day goes.” 

El, Nancy and Jonathan came together. El wrapped Will in a long hug, grateful to see her brother again. Jonathan and Nancy announced plans to come visit Will in San Francisco the coming year. 

“I looked for Max,” El said. “I don’t know where she is.” That was a bummer. No one had heard from her in years and they all worried about her. 

Steve and his wife Shelly were the last to arrive, and Steve immediately cornered Will, who was the only one who hadn’t seen pictures of his kids, four year old Audrey and one year old Zachary. Will nodded politely when Steve showed a picture Audrey in a little basketball uniform and said, “I coach her team!”

“I didn’t know babies could play basketball,” Will said. 

Steve gave him a look, “She’s _ four. _” 

“Oh,” Will said. He didn’t know what the fuck four year olds were capable of. He didn’t remember being four, and he didn’t know anyone besides Steve who had a four year old. “Is she a good basketball player?” he asked politely.

“Well, no. She’s only four so she’s shit at it,” Steve admitted. “But she’s got potential.” 

Will assumed any able-bodied four year old had basketball potential, but what did he know? 

“Come help me with the food,” Mike said, pulling Will toward the kitchen. Will followed and Mike lowered his voice when they got in, “Steve’ll keep you there telling kid stories forever if you let him. Dustin is the only one who’ll listen. Hell, he actively encourages it.” 

“Well he is their Godfather,” Will said. He opened a bag of chips and dumped them into a bowl. 

“Well, Robin’s their Godmother and even she gets sick of the Audrey and Zachary stories. God, I hope nothing ever happens to Steve and Shelly. Can you imagine Dustin becoming those poor kids guardian?” Mike shook his head as he opened the lid of a jar of salsa. 

Will didn’t say anything. He thought Dustin would probably be a great dad someday. At the very least, his kids would never want for anything with all the money he had. 

“We didn’t get a chance to finish our conversation,” Mike said, still keeping his voice low. “Dustin came home, and then he didn’t leave. I just want to stress how much what I said stays between us.” 

“God, of course,” Will said. “I would never!” 

“I know. I know I can trust you, It’s just still a lot for me to process.” 

“Take your time,” Will said. “There’s no rush.” 

“No rush for what?” Lucas said, making his way into the kitchen. 

“Food,” Mike answered. “You guys aren’t starving are you?” 

“I am actually,” Lucas said. “Let me help,” and he started pulling plastic wrap off of the platter of sandwiches. 

Will and Mike made eye contact. Mike looked very much like he wanted to keep having this conversation, but knew he couldn’t. Will shrugged slightly and grinned. He grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator and popped it open. Will wasn’t worried, Mike would figure it all out. 

The party got loud and rowdy quickly. Drinks were poured, the food was devoured, and arguments broke out over the music, with El insisting on Ricky Martin and Steve arguing for either Eminem or Wu-Tang. Mike broke the argument by turning the music off entirely and putting the TV on Dick Clark. 

People groaned, but Mike said, “It’s a New Year’s staple,” and no one could really argue with that. 

No one really watched anyway, they were all busy catching up with one another. Will hadn’t even seen his own brother in more than a year. Jonathan and Nancy were living in Chicago, Nancy working as a copy editor, and Jonathan for the City Paper. Will found out that Joyce was pushing for grandchildren. Mike nudged Nancy, “So’s our mom,” he said. 

Nancy just laughed and shrugged, “Well she’ll have to wait a little longer. Maybe forever. We haven’t decided yet.” 

Steve overheard and came over, waxing poetic about the beauty of parenthood. “It’s so weird that no one else has had any,” he said, looking around. 

“I like to sleep too much,” Nancy said. 

“I’m too single,” Mike said. 

“I’m too gay,” Will said. 

“Same for us,” Robin said, putting her arm around Simone and planting a kiss on her cheek. 

“Lucas?” Steve asked, clearly ready for someone else to have a kid. 

Lucas shrugged, “My girlfriend is twenty-four. There’s time for that.”

“I think I should have one,” Dustin said thoughtfully.

“You’re drunk,” Mike laughed. 

“Yes,” Dustin agreed. “But I still think I should have a baby.”

“Why don’t you run out and get knocked up then?” Will asked, which made everyone laugh. 

“Well, I need to find a girlfriend first.”

“You need to decide where you’re gonna live,” Mike pointed out. 

“Silicon Valley is near me,” Will said. It wasn’t the first time he’d brought that up to Dustin. As much as Will didn’t love Hawkins, he did miss having childhood friends nearby and Dustin belonged in that area of the country if he was going to work in tech. 

“I can’t go to the coasts,” Dustin explained not for the first time. “I wanna be closer to my mom and she refuses to leave Hawkins.” 

“Just come to Chicago already,” Jonathan said. “It’s the best city in the Midwest.” 

“Just stay in Hawkins,” Steve said. “It’s great here!” 

Even Mike rolled his eyes at that. No one else thought Hawkins was great. At best, the rest of them thought it was just fine. 

A little after eleven, everyone was pretty drunk. Will wasn’t though. He didn’t love losing control and would rarely let himself drink to anything beyond tipsy. Over the years he’d perfected the art of drinking just enough to fit it and feel the slight effects of alcohol, but without going overboard. The last time he’d drunk too much he wound up telling Guy about his childhood, and got dumped. 

He noticed Mike drinking more soda than beer as well and wondered what was up with that. 

As midnight drew nearer, the drunken manic energy was rising. Five minutes until midnight found the entire crew gathered around the TV where Dick Clark was hosting the world’s largest party in Times Square. Mike and Will were standing behind everyone else, less interested in what was going on in New York. 

There was an unspoken something between them. Will knew Mike wanted to sit and talk, and he could sense Mike’s frustration at being at a crowded party and not being able to just say what he wanted to say. 

“Ten!” everyone started shouting. “Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three!”

With no one looking, and before the last two numbers could even be shouted, Mike pulled Will in for a kiss. Their lips were connected as everyone shouted “Two! ONE!”

Immediately Mike let go and looked forward as the rest of the crew shouted “Happy New Year!” and as Auld Lang Syne played on TV, Mike and Will watched, wide-eyed (and confused on Will’s part) as Steve and Shelly kissed, Robin and Simone kissed, Lucas and Lisa (who’d gotten there a half hour earlier) kissed, Jonathan and Nancy kissed, and Dustin planted a platonic kiss on El’s cheek. 

Mike turned to Will and mouthed, “I’m sorry.” 

Will shook his head. “Don’t be,” he murmured. Looking around surreptitiously, to make sure no one was watching, he reached down and grabbed Mike’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze, hoping to convey an air of comfort, before letting it go. 

Things got rowdier for the next hour as Dustin opened a bottle of champagne and poured some for everyone. He made Mike turn on his computer so he could show everyone that Y2K was fine, nothing was going to happen to their computers. Of course, they all knew that because the news had been covering the new year for every time zone before theirs. Still, they let Dustin have his moment. 

Around one o’clock in the morning, people started yawning. Mike gathered bottles to take to the kitchen, and Will quickly stepped up and began cleaning up plates, cups and brushing chip crumbs off the couch. 

“You OK?” he asked Mike, walking into the kitchen with some dirty dishes. Mike was rinsing beer bottles out at the sink. 

Mike nodded, “Mm-hmm.” 

“You want to talk about it?”

“Yes,” Mike said quietly. “But every time I start to say something, we get interrupted.”

And as though that had been a prediction, Steve popped his head into the kitchen. “Hey, we’re taking your guest bedroom up here.” 

Mike nodded, “People can sleep wherever. Just leave me my bedroom.” 

“Tomorrow then,” Will said. 

“Yeah,” Mike said, and they were quiet the rest of the time they finished the dishes. 

Mike headed off to his bedroom. Will went through the living room, picking up stray trash, where he saw Lucas and Lisa lying on the perpendicular sides of Mike’s sectional sofa. Lisa was sound asleep. Lucas grinned at Will, “Night Will.” 

“Night,” Will said. “Happy New Year.” 

He threw the trash in the kitchen, then let himself into the bedroom that he’d been sleeping in for the past couple of nights, and startled a little to see Robin and Simone in the bed, and El in a sleeping bag on the floor. “The fuck?” he said. “This is where I was sleeping.” 

“Not tonight,” Robin said. 

“There’s another sleeping bag,” El said helpfully, patting the floor next to her. 

Will rolled his eyes. He hadn’t slept in a sleeping bag on the floor since he was at a sleepover when he was fifteen years old. He wasn’t about to do it again. Call him spoiled, but he liked a nice cushy mattress under him while he slept. He grabbed his toothbrush and stalked out of the room. 

He peeked into the room Dustin had been using, and sure enough Dustin was in the twin bed, already snoring loudly. 

He already knew what he’d see in the fourth bedroom, but he knocked lightly and opened the door. Sure enough, Steve and Shelly were in the bed, and Jonathan and Nancy were on a camping mattress on the floor. They were all still awake and giggling, passing a nearly empty bottle of champagne between them. Jonathan was smoking a joint. 

Well, this is what he got for for being the only one who actually helped Mike clean up. All the others had claimed where they were going to sleep, leaving him an option that would probably be extremely uncomfortable. 

He knocked on Mike’s bedroom door. Mike opened it up. He was wearing a white undershirt and a pair of plaid flannel pajama bottoms. He was also brushing his teeth. 

“I’ve been left without a place to sleep,” Will complained. Mike grinned around his toothbrush and went into his en suite bathroom to spit. Will gave him the rundown on who was sleeping and where. 

“So El gave me the option of bunking in a sleeping bag next to her. I’m just hoping you have some other hidden couch or bed I can use.” 

Mike waved his hand toward his own bed, “It’s a king-size. You’re welcome to bunk with me.” 

“Is that the best idea...considering…?” 

“Considering I kissed you earlier?” 

“Yeah,” Will said. “We can talk about it now if you want.” 

“I’ve been thinking a lot these last couple of days, and like, me realizing I’m bi just seems so….I don’t know… _ big. _And I thought if I need to kiss a guy, it might as well be one I trust completely.”

“Oh.” Will said. He thought he understood. 

“Right,” Mike continued, “So the things we were talking about, like going to an art gallery or whatever to meet guys. I kind of realized I don’t know how to meet guys. I don’t want to go into it being a total loser who has only ever had sex with one person, and it was a woman, and not even know what kissing a guy is like.” 

“What the fuck?” Will asked. “You never had sex with anyone but Lizzie?” 

Mike gave him a look. “I met her in our first year in college. So...no.” 

“But since the divorce?” 

“I haven’t dated.” 

“Jesus Christ,” Will said. “You’re sitting here worried about not having kissed a guy, but you haven’t even had sex in two and a half years. I think you officially get your virginity back at that point.” 

“Very funny,” Mike said. “I just don’t know how to do any of this. I don’t know how to date and I don’t know how to have casual sex.” 

“Have you ever even tried?” 

Mike shook his head. “I don’t know why either. I’m not opposed to casual hookups, I just could never be the one to instigate it, and….it just never happened.” Mike paused and looked up at Will with pleading eyes, “And now I’ve completely wasted my twenties.” 

“No,” Will said. “It’s no big deal. You should only do what makes you feel comfortable, right? And you kissed me, that must have been something you were thinking about, and you did it. It was brave.” 

Mike nodded. “I just wanted to be sure. I wanted to know that kissing a man is something I wanted to do and not just something I wanted to see,” he gestured vaguely toward his closet where his gay porn collection was hidden. 

“And?” Will asked. 

Mike licked his lips and shrugged. “It was over so fast. I’d psyched myself up so much just to do it, I barely registered how it felt.” 

Will nodded. “You need to decide if you want it, but you’re welcome to do it again.” 

Mike hesitated. “We’re friends though.” 

“We’ll still be friends,” Will promised. “I’m not in love with you or anything. I love you, but not like that. I’m still in love with Guy, to be honest. But I think you need something. I think you need to get out of your shell you’ve been in since the divorce, and if you want, I’m here to help with it.” 

“I don’t know,” Mike said, sounding unsure. 

“That’s fine too,” Will said. “We don’t need to do anything at all. I’m going to go brush my teeth and get ready for bed.” 

Will shut the bathroom door behind him. He stared at himself in the mirror before turning to pee. He washed his hands and brushed his teeth, thinking the whole time. He knew Mike was afraid of changing their friendship, but Will was certain they had the type of friendship that could withstand a little makeout session. But if Mike was worried, Will certainly wasn’t going to start anything. 

Will pulled off his pants, he only ever slept in boxer shorts, and stepped back into the bedroom. Mike wasn’t in bed yet. He was standing stock-still in the same place he’d been standing when Will went into the bathroom. “Mike?” Will asked. 

Mike looked up silently, his eyes wild and determined. Still saying nothing he took a few steps toward Will and pulled him into an aggressive kiss. Will grunted in surprise, but didn’t pull back. If anything, he deepened the kiss, grabbing the front of Mike’s shirt and pulling him in close. Will opened his mouth and swiped his tongue on Mike’s lower lip. Mike opened his mouth to Will’s tongue. 

Will pushed Mike toward the bed, and Mike went willingly, lips still attached to Will’s and lay on his back on the bed. Will climbed atop Mike, straddling him at the waist and sinking his hips into Mike’s. He pulled back and, resting a soft hand on Mike’s chest, asked, “Is this OK?”

“Yeah,” Mike said, nodding his head. His eyes were glazed and his lips were bright red. 

“Good,” Will said, dipping his head back down and capturing Mike’s lips again. 

They kissed and Will ground his pelvis into Mike’s and could feel Mike grow harder beneath him. Will let his hand travel up Mike’s shirt, across his abs and up to his chest. Mike made a little whining noise in the back of his throat, and God did Will find those little sounds so hot. 

The next time Will pulled back, Mike made a different noise in his throat, this one a small staccato “uh” sound, like he was wondering why the kissing had stopped. Will noticed a heat, an intensity, in Mike’s eyes as he stripped off his own shirt. Mike propped himself up on his elbows then to remove his own. 

Mike had a hairy chest, much hairier than Will’s own chest was. Will ran his fingers through the soft hair and leaned down to kiss one of Mike’s nipples. Mike responded with a thrust upward, his hard dick catching Will in the thigh. 

Will reached down and let his hand travel into the elastic waistband of Mike’s soft flannel pajama pants. “Is this OK?” he asked again. 

“Mm-hmm,” Mike said. Will could practically feel Mike vibrating as he took Mike’s dick in his hand. “God,” Mike whispered. 

“God, good or God, bad?” Will asked. He needed to know Mike was OK with this. 

“Good. _ Good, _” Mike said, and when Will started stroking, he added, “Yeah, just like that.” 

So Mike was vocal in bed. That was a good thing, Will thought. It meant he knew what was going on in Mike’s head and if things got too much for him, he’d be able to say so. But with the deep throated moans he heard coming from Mike, it didn’t seem like anything would be too much for him.

Will leaned off to the side and lay down next to Mike, his hand on his dick the entire time. He stroked, keeping a steady but slow rhythm, and smiling as Mike’s hips rolled along in sync. 

“Can I take your pants off?” Will asked. 

“Yes,” Mike said eagerly. “Let’s both do that.” 

Will grinned as he reached down and pulled his boxers down and wiggled his way out of them. He watched as Mike sat up to pull his pajama pants off, followed by his own boxer shorts. In a moment of total surprise, Mike pushed Will to his back and climbed on top of him. 

“Huh,” Will said, surprised that Mike was being more forward. Will had thought he’d have to be the one to make all the first moves. 

“I want to look at you,” Mike said. Will spread his legs and hooked one behind Mike’s thighs, watching Mike look him over. Mike’s eyes started at Will’s chest and slowly worked their way down his torso, coming to a rest at Will’s erect penis. 

“Like what you see?” Will asked, smirking. 

“Yeah,” Mike admitted, he ran his hands slowly up Will’s thighs, coming to a halt just before his fingertips would brush his balls. 

“You can touch me if you want,” Will said hitching up his pelvis a little bit. “Or I can keep touching you.” He reached his hand down for Mike and began stroking again, still slowly. 

Mike let out a breathy exhale, as he encircled his fingers around Will’s dick and also began stroking. 

“Is this OK?” Will asked again. 

“Everything is OK,” Mike said. "You don’t need to keep asking, I’ll tell you if it’s not OK.” 

“I’ll stop asking then.” 

“Yeah, just assume you have permission to do whatever.” 

“Do you want to come in my hand or my mouth?” Will asked. Mike’s dick seemed to jump in his hands at hearing that. 

“Uh,” Mike said, his eyes went wide as he was rendered momentarily speechless. 

“I guess I get to choose then,” Will said. “Come up here,” he said.

“Up there?” 

“Straddle my face.” 

Mike looked even more shocked, and Will quickly added, “If that’s OK.”

“It’s definitely OK. I just didn’t expect….” he drifted off. “I mean….I never…”

“You’ve never had your dick sucked?” Will asked, leaning up on his elbows. 

“Not never,” Mike answered. “But rarely. It was mostly a birthday or Valentines Day thing for Lizzie. And never in that position.” 

“Let’s not talk about your ex-wife when your hand is on my dick,” Will said. He scooted his body down, so he was flat on his back, head off the pillow. “Come on up, this is a good position. Trust me.” 

“I trust you,” Mike said, and he straddled Will’s body, working his way up until he had his knees on either side of Will’s head. It took some repositioning, but eventually, his dick was in Will’s hot wet mouth.

“Christ,” Mike said. It was all he could do to keep from thrusting and fucking Will’s mouth as hard as he could. 

Will worked his mouth completely over Mike’s hard cock. The feel of the skin, the taste of the pre-come, and the sound of Mike’s breath hitching were all so hot. It’d been so long since Mike had his dick sucked, Will wanted to make sure it was good. He was keenly aware this was probably the one and only time they were ever going to do this, and he wanted to leave Mike with memories of having had a fantastic blowjob.

Will reached up with one hand and grabbed Mike’s ass, the other hand running along Mike’s thigh gently. Mike leaned forward and grabbed onto the headboard, “Ah, Jesus Will,” he panted. “I’m going to come soon.” 

“Mmm,” Will acknowledged, and sealed his lips even tighter around Mike’s dick while grabbing his ass harder. 

Mike thrust down Will’s throat with a grunt and came. Will’s mouth filled with Mike’s semen, which he tried to swallow, but some dribbled onto his chin. He kept his mouth on Mike as the thrusting slowed and Mike’s body seemed to relax. 

Will grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and wiped his chin off, and Mike slid off him and lay next to him, breathing hard, his hand on his chest. “Holy shit,” Mike said. 

Will propped up on his elbow next to Mike. “That good?” 

“Yes,” Mike was sprawled, seemingly boneless, and staring at the ceiling with a lazy smile on his face. “Oh!” he said after a few moments of catching his breath. “I’ve got to do you!”

“You don’t have to,” Will said. He was still hard and he started jerking himself off. 

“I want to,” Mike said. He leaned up and pushed Will back so that Will was on his back again. Mike kissed his way down Will’s body, coming to a rest in front of his crotch, staring almost reverently as Will’s dick. 

How could a guy who looked at a dick with that expression on his face have _ ever _thought he was totally straight?

Mike placed a small kiss on the head of Will’s penis. “I’ve never done this before. Tell me if I do it wrong.” 

“Just do what you think I’ll like,” Will said. “No teeth and it’ll be great.” 

“No teeth,” Mike said nodding. “OK.” And he dove right in, taking Will’s dick into his mouth quickly. He adjusted a few times, trying to figure out what angle was best, but finally settled on a rhythm between his mouth and his hand.

“Yeah,” Will grunted. “Just like that,” he said encouragingly. Will looked down, watching his best friends lips locked around his dick. Mike’s face was set in concentration, and he looked so handsome, even with the stupid goatee. Will was overcome with a feeling of fondness for Mike and what he’d been putting himself through these last couple of years since Lizzie left. 

“Uh,” Will said. “I’m going to come.” He realized he should have told Mike that he definitely didn’t expect him to swallow on his first blowjob ever. That was something that had taken Will a while to build up to. Maybe Mike instinctively knew, because he pulled off just in time, and jerked Will off through his orgasm. 

They got themselves cleaned up and lay on their backs, side by side, holding hands. “Should we talk about this?” Mike asked. 

“I told you, this wouldn’t change anything. We’re still friends, and this was just a…” 

“Just a one-off.” 

“A lesson for you,” Will said. “What’d you learn tonight, Mike?” 

“I learned that I’m definitely bisexual and that I really like blowjobs.” 

“I learned you’re good at giving them.” 

“Even for a first time?” Mike asked. 

“Especially for a first time.” 

“Hnn,” Mike said, sounding pleased. He pulled the covers up and planted a kiss on Will’s shoulder. “Let’s go to sleep.” 

____

Several hours later Will rolled over quickly, scrabbling at the back of his neck. “Get it off, get it off,” he said, sounding scared. 

Mike sat bolt upright. “What? What is it Will?” 

“It’s the upside down, I’m trapped,” he held his hands out, like he was trying to push his way out of something. “Run, Run. Save yourself.” 

Mike could practically feel the panic emanating off of Will. He grabbed Will’s hands. “It’s OK, you’re here in my bed. You’re safe. Will, you’re having a nightmare.” God, he was glad Will told him he still suffered nightmares, otherwise, Mike might really think they were stuck in the upside down. “Will, wake up.” 

And just like that, Will seemed to come to. He was shaky and a little damp with sweat, and he was breathing fast, but he suddenly seemed to realize where he was. “Mike?”

“Yeah, buddy,” Mike said soothingly, still holding onto Will’s hands. “You’re safe.” 

“We’re at your house?” 

“Yeah.” 

“In your bed?” 

“Yeah. We are perfectly safe. You were having a nightmare.” 

“It was the….thing. The Demogorgon.”

“I know, but he’s not here. I’m here.” 

Will took one deep shuddering breath and relaxed. “OK. Sorry I woke you.” His body was still shaking slightly. Mike could feel the bed vibrating. 

“Don’t apologize,” Mike said. 

“I can sleep now,” Will said. He rolled onto his side. 

Mike slid in behind him, making himself the big spoon. “Is this OK?” He wrapped his arms around Will. Anything to make him feel safe. 

“Yeah,” Will said softly. “I like it.” 

_______  


Late the next morning they had what was possibly an even ruder awakening than Will’s nightmare in the middle of the night. 

Both Mike and Will were asleep, though the sun was streaming in the bedroom window. A knock on the bedroom door made them stir, but Dustin didn’t wait for anyone to say _ come in, _ he just walked in two seconds after he knocked. “Hey Mike. I can’t find butter in your fridge and…..oh what the fuck?” 

He said the _ what the fuck _ part entirely too loud and at the same time Mike realized what Dustin walked in on--two of his best friends entwined naked in bed.

Mike, who’d been in that state of barely asleep and barely awake, was now fully awake and jumped out of bed, said, “Shhhh!” and slammed the door behind Dustin and locked it. “This isn’t what it looks like!” he said. 

“Oh OK,” Dustin said nodding his head sarcastically. “Because it looks like you two definitely fucked last night and I can not even imagine what else it could be.”

“We didn’t-” Mike started, but Will interrupted him. 

“Mike, just tell him.” Will sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

“But put some pants on first,” Dustin ordered, waving his hand vaguely in the direction of Mike’s exposed penis. 

Will reached over the side of the bed and found Mike’s pajama pants and threw them to him. Mike pulled them on, as Will found his own boxer shorts and put them on. 

“Soooo…” Mike started. “Turns out I’m bisexual.” 

“Oh!” Dustin said. “OK. Well that’s fine, but what about you two?” 

“We aren’t dating,” Will answered from the bed. He was under the covers and looked very much like he wanted to get back to sleep. “We just did a thing last night.” 

“A thing?” Dustin asked, crooking an eyebrow. 

“Will helped me figure some stuff out,” Mike said, shrugging. 

“OK,” Dustin said agreeably. He ran his fingers through his hair. He was noticeably less chatty than normal and Mike had to wonder if that was a bad thing. “I’m just really shocked here,” he admitted. “It’s not what I expected to walk in on.” 

“We’d also rather you hadn’t,” Will said, rolling his eyes.

“But since you did, please don’t tell anyone,” Mike pled. 

“No. Of course not!” Dustin said. “I wouldn’t do that.” 

“I just haven’t had a lot of time to think about who I’m gonna tell and when,” Mike explained. 

“Sure,” Dustin agreed. He scratched his nose and said, “I just don’t see how it happened though. Like, Will, did you see this in him and asked him to go to bed with you?” 

Will and Mike made eye contact and shrugged. Mike took a deep breath and answered, “I told Will why Lizzie left.” And he proceeded to tell Dustin the story about the porn, and how he and Will talked about it a couple of days ago, and Will not being able to find a bed, so they slept in the same bed and then...things happened. 

Dustin listened intently. “All right,” he said finally shrugging. “I guess it’s not a big deal and you don’t owe me an explanation. I just don’t want things to get weird between you. I don’t want to be stuck in the middle if this is going to be a problem.” 

“It won’t be,” Will promised from the bed. 

“Yeah,” Mike said. “We agreed before we did anything that it wouldn’t change anything.” 

“So you’re not, like, boyfriends now?” 

“No.”

“I live in San Francisco and Mike lives here,” Will pointed out. “How would that even work?”

“Plus we only like each other as friends and Will is still in love with Guy.” 

“You’re still in love with Guy?” Dustin asked, turning his attention to Will. 

“Yeah,” Will nodded. “Definitely not over him yet.” 

“He dumped you.”

“And I’m not over it yet. Christ, Dustin, do you think people just get over being dumped after being together for almost two years?” 

Dustin shrugged, “Don’t know. I’ve never been in a relationship that long.” 

“Dustin’s also never been the one being dumped,” Mike said pointedly to Will. “He’s always been the one doing the dumping.” 

“No offense, dude,” Will said to Dustin, “But I hope the next girl you start dating dumps your ass right as you’re falling in love with her. Getting dumped sucks, but it builds character.” 

“Is that what you did last night?” Dustin asked. “Built some character while pining for Guy?” 

“No last night I just got my dick sucked.” 

“Will,” Mike complained at the same time Dustin said, “I don’t need details!” 

“Sorry,” Will ducked his head a little. He was only talking the way he and his friends in San Francisco did. But those were friends he’d only known as an adult. Dustin was someone he’s known since he was a small child. 

There was a moment’s silence and finally Mike turned to Dustin to answer the question Dustin had come in for in the first place. “The butter is in the little compartment in the fridge door.” 

“Oh yeah,” Dustin said. “I was going to make scrambled eggs. Most everyone else is awake.” 

“We’ll be up in a few,” Mike said. “Please remember, don’t say anything.” 

“Of course not,” Dustin said, and he slipped out the door. 

Mike sighed and leaned his forehead on the door. 

“Are you regretting it?” Will asked. 

Mike turned and looked at him and grinned. “The only thing I regret is not locking the fucking door.” 

Will laughed as he stood up. He pulled Mike toward him and planted a gentle kiss on his lips, his hands cradling Mike’s face. Mike kissed back through a slow smile. 

“Come on. Let’s go eat breakfast.” 

_____

A few hours after breakfast, Will was checking his email on Mike’s computer. He had put in a request with a friend of a friend who owned a gallery in Seattle, and he wanted to show some of his work. 

He didn’t have an email about that, but there was one from Guy. 

**Date: January 1, 2000**

**To: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**From: ** [ **Guytheguy@yahoo.com** ](mailto:Guytheguy@yahoo.com)

**Subject: Us**

> _ Will, _
> 
> _ I suck at writing, but I’ve called and left you a few messages the last couple of days and I haven’t been able to get a hold of you. _
> 
> _ I wanted to say I’m sorry for how I acted and how I left you. It was just really a shitty thing to do for me to freak out over your childhood trauma and take it out on you. My mother was in a fit, because she likes you so much, and when I told her about it she asked why I was more concerned about how hearing about that made me feel and not more concerned about you and how it’s shaped you. _
> 
> _ And I’m sorry it took my mother to point it out to me, and I should have been a better boyfriend in the first place. The whole story (and I doubt I’ve even gotten the whole story, right?) is unlike anything I’ve ever heard and it seemed so unreal, and it seemed like something I couldn’t help you with. _
> 
> _ But maybe my job isn’t to help you with it. Maybe it’s to just be there and comfort you when you have a nightmare and let you feel like you don’t have to get drunk to talk about it. _
> 
> _ Anyway, I don’t know if you’re ignoring my calls. It’s OK if you are. But I still love you and I want to talk about this with you. If you’ll let me. _
> 
> _ Love, Guy _

  


Mike noticed Will’s happy expression while checking his email. “What?” he asked. “Did the gallery contact you?” 

“No,” Mike said, “Look at this.” 

Mike stood behind Will and read over his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around Will’s shoulder and gave him a hug from behind. “That’s awesome. I’m so happy for you.” 

__________

**2000**

  


**Date: February 10, 2000**

**To: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**From: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**Subject: Look at me now**

> _ Mike, _
> 
> _ A lot has happened since I saw you last month. Of course I talked to Guy the same week I got home from Hawkins. We talked a lot, actually, and we agreed to get back together. He wants me in therapy though, because he really does worry about my nightmares, and I agreed that I’d go. I haven’t been since I was about sixteen, and my mother has been after me ever since. I always worry that I’ll go to therapy and get committed and diagnosed with delusions, even though everything that happened to me is real. _
> 
> _ I hope you don’t mind, I told Guy about us. I told him about you and Lizzie leaving you, and how I ‘helped’ you discover being bi, and I told him we slept together. He’s not mad or anything, I just felt like if I was going to get back together with him, I had to be honest with him. I know it wasn’t my business to tell him, but if it makes you feel any better, there were some less than nice names he had for Lizzie. Guy’s best friend is bi, so he’s pretty protective of bi people.If you lived here, we’d probably try to set you up with her. _
> 
> _ Another thing is that I got my art into that Gallery in Seattle. It’s the first time I’m showing outside the Bay area. I’ll be spending a few weeks in Seattle in April. And after that my lease is up on my tiny studio apartment and I’m moving into Guy’s apartment with him. So, like, that’s pretty huge. _
> 
> _ Anyway, that’s the main news from here. _
> 
> _ I also wanted to say that I actually had a good time at your house. Not just the sex either, but it was genuinely great to see everybody. It’s also the first time Hawkins didn’t give me an out and out anxiety attack, so that’s progress I guess? _
> 
> _ Talk to you later, _
> 
> _ Love, _
> 
> _ Will _

  


**Date: February 10, 2000**

**From: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**To: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**Subject: Re: Look at me now**

> _ Will, _
> 
> _ I definitely don’t mind that you gold Guy about us. I know I’m worried about telling people around here, but I’ve never met Guy, I only know him through you and I know you’d never fall in love with anyone who’d be a judgmental dick. Plus, you were telling him for a good reason - relationship honesty! Speaking of honesty, I actually am considering emailing Lizzie just to come out to her, but I’m not sure it’s worth doing. I don’t want her back, and I don’t see her being accepting, but….I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Maybe it’s closure or something. _
> 
> _ That’s great news about your show in Seattle! If your art is showing over my spring break, maybe I’ll fly out? _
> 
> _ I went on a date! Nothing major - I was set up by a fellow teacher. The woman was nice enough, but we didn’t have a super strong connection, so it was just one date and nothing more. Still, it’s nice to get back out there. I’ll let you know next time I have another one. _
> 
> _ Love, _
> 
> _ Mike _

**Date: February 11, 2000**

**From: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**To: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**Subject: Re: Re: Look at me now**

> _ Mike, _
> 
> _ I’m not about to tell you what to do, but honestly. Don’t come out to Lizzie. She doesn’t deserve your truth. She treated you horribly, and what do you think her reaction is going to be? A person who so easily uses the word faggot isn’t likely to give you anything you need to hear. _
> 
> _ Just my two cents. _
> 
> _ Love, _
> 
> _ Will _

  


**Date: March 30, 2000**

**From: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**To: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**Subject: Spring Break**

> _ Will, _
> 
> _ Sorry about missing your Seattle show. Shitty luck that it starts this coming week, just as I’m finishing my spring break. Break a leg, and I’ll look at the Seattle papers online to see if I can find anything about it. _
> 
> _ So anyway, I kind of had an interesting spring break. I may not have made it to your gallery showing, but Jonathan had some photographs in this exhibit for Chicago amateur photographers. And I remembered what you said about the people who hang out at art galleries, and I told a very surprised Nancy that I’d love to come to Chicago to support my brother-in-law. I picked up a guy...Will it was just that easy. He had some photos in the exhibit, I complimented them, he complimented me and...it just happened. I went home with him, and you know. _
> 
> _ The only thing? I didn’t realize Jonathan and Nancy know him, and they totally found out that I slept with him. So anyway, I wound up coming out to Nancy and Jonathan, and if they were surprised, they hid it well. They were very supportive, though I wouldn’t have expected anything else, really. Jonathan made a very astute observation. He said, “Oh my God, you’ve slept with my brother, haven’t you?” So if we wanted to keep our New Years Eve tryst a secret, we really suck at it. _
> 
> _ I got home and went to visit Robin and Simone, and I came out to them too, because why the fuck not at this point? Anyway, Simone has a friend who is a bisexual woman and they’re setting us up on a date. I’ll let you know how it goes. _
> 
> _ Good luck on your gallery showing, and if it’s OK, I’ll come visit you and Guy in your new apartment this summer. _
> 
> _ Love, _
> 
> _ Mike _
> 
>   
  


**Date: March 30, 2000**

**To: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**From: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**Subject: Re: Spring Break**

> _ Mike, _
> 
> _ Fuck, I’m so proud of you. I knew I was gay for years before I ever nutted up and told anyone. This is big. I hope your date goes well, definitely let me know how it is. Anyone who’s a friend of Robin and Simone has to be pretty awesome, right? _
> 
> _ Too bad about missing my show. I’m going to be insanely busy with it the next few weeks, so I won’t be checking email, or AIM so much. (has Dustin gotten you into AIM yet? I have to admit, it’s more convenient than email.) _
> 
> _ I’m giving you a hard yes about visiting whenever you want this summer. In fact, you are welcome at any time, for any reason. Please know that, if you need anything, I’m just an email or a plane ride away. _
> 
> _ Love, _
> 
> _ Will _

  


**Date: April 17, 2000**

**To: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**From: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**Subject: Happiness**

> _ Dear Will, _
> 
> _ Simone’s friend, Angie is awesome. She’s completely amazing and I can’t believe she wants to keep going on dates with me. _
> 
> _Will, I never would have figured out I’m bi if it wasn’t for you. I never would have gotten the nerve to date again after my divorce, and I never would have met Angie, who I literally can’t stop thinking about. (I used Dustin’s scanner and scanned a photo of us, I attached it so you can see her.) I just wanted to thank you, seriously. I just wanted to have a Y2K party, and you changed my life. _
> 
> _ Not to get too sentimental or anything, but I really do love you. _
> 
> _ Mike _

**Date: April 18, 2000**

**To: ** [ **MikeWheeler@aol.com** ](mailto:MikeWheeler@aol.com)

**From: ** [ **WillByers415@aol.com** ](mailto:WillByers415@aol.com)

**Subject: Re: Happiness**

> _ Mike, _
> 
> _ Jesus Christ, I come to the back room of the gallery to check my email real quick and you’ve got my crying like a baby. _
> 
> _ I’m so happy for you, and I love you too man. _
> 
> _ Love, _
> 
> _ Will _

**Author's Note:**

> Remember the pre- 9/11 days when anyone could just stroll up to the gates at an airport to meet their buddies? Good times. 
> 
> Also, as I was writing this, I realized many of the people reading here might not even remember the brouhaha over the Y2K bug. And now I feel old.


End file.
